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chickenlady's review against another edition
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Child abuse and Physical abuse
Minor: Injury/Injury detail
wrappingpaper's review
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
I enjoyed this book more compared to the first of the series. The odds were heightened and it felt like more was happening, especially near the end.
I found America to be slightly annoying at certain parts because of the way she was handling having a double romance however I’m glad that she seems to be making a clear choice now (which i hope she sticks to).
The story is also getting more political with more focus on the rebels and the country as a whole. Overall I’m very excited to read the third book and see where Cass takes the story next.
I found America to be slightly annoying at certain parts because of the way she was handling having a double romance however I’m glad that she seems to be making a clear choice now (which i hope she sticks to).
The story is also getting more political with more focus on the rebels and the country as a whole. Overall I’m very excited to read the third book and see where Cass takes the story next.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism and Child abuse
Moderate: Injury/Injury detail, Death, and War
agiecummings's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.5
Again, this is a book I have read literally countless times. But I am re-reading it in 2023 and actually taking the time to write my review out.
This is a 4.5⭐️ read for me, but it is SO CLOSE to a 5, and it only suffers from the fact that America starts to piss you off a little with her attitude towards Maxon and I think this book would really benefit from a dual POV so you could know what he was thinking. Because you start to think her reasoning is correct, even though in reality he fully loves her. And I think that probably is an accurate reflection of feelings of people in this situation (basically being cast on The Bachelor), but it’s so frustrating to have ONLY that perspective.
Similarly, I think we gloss over the king hurting his son too quickly. I just need to name that those actions make the king heinous and I’m glad he gets killed in Book 3, there I said it.
Finally, the scene in the safe house/hideaway is one of my fave scenes in a book ever. Only slightly topped by a scene in Book 3, which I’ll discuss once I’ve re-read. But I love how romantically Maxon is written and I love how much these two actually love each other.
Book 2 is still fab because you finally have America realizing that Aspen isn’t what she actually wants, and there’s nothing better than that: knowing that she’s here for Maxon and they’ve simply ✨got✨ to end up together. ❤️
This is a 4.5⭐️ read for me, but it is SO CLOSE to a 5, and it only suffers from the fact that America starts to piss you off a little with her attitude towards Maxon and I think this book would really benefit from a dual POV so you could know what he was thinking. Because you start to think her reasoning is correct, even though in reality he fully loves her. And I think that probably is an accurate reflection of feelings of people in this situation (basically being cast on The Bachelor), but it’s so frustrating to have ONLY that perspective.
Finally, the scene in the safe house/hideaway is one of my fave scenes in a book ever. Only slightly topped by a scene in Book 3, which I’ll discuss once I’ve re-read. But I love how romantically Maxon is written and I love how much these two actually love each other.
Book 2 is still fab because you finally have America realizing that Aspen isn’t what she actually wants, and there’s nothing better than that: knowing that she’s here for Maxon and they’ve simply ✨got✨ to end up together. ❤️
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Domestic abuse
reesespuff6's review
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Violence, Classism, Physical abuse, Injury/Injury detail, War, Blood, and Gore
becca_w_'s review
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
Content Warnings
Graphic: Gore, Police brutality, Sexual content, Infidelity, Medical content, Physical abuse, Body horror, Bullying, Death, Alcohol, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Classism, Torture, and War
Moderate: Ableism, Colonisation, Child abuse, Child death, Gaslighting, Medical trauma, Murder, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, and Slavery
kaadee's review
adventurous
emotional
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
2.0
This book definitely has “middle book syndrome”. It was enjoyable but not as good as the first.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism
Minor: Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Murder, Violence, and War
haleybre's review
emotional
funny
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
America was a little too whiny in this one.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Classism and Physical abuse
Minor: Death, Violence, Child death, Injury/Injury detail, Panic attacks/disorders, Alcohol, Blood, Bullying, Infidelity, and War
wet_towlette's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
🖕😾🖕 that’s how America makes me feel. Anyway, it was fun 🤩 but so repetitive. It’s like so much happened but also nothing happened.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Blood, Panic attacks/disorders, Domestic abuse, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Alcohol and Bullying
lisa_m's review
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
So little actually happened in this book it's comical. I have a really hard time actually explaining what happened in this book. There were some more explanations of how Illia came to be which was interesting but I don't know if I actually still support America and Maxon.
I mean Maxon is mostly great and I understand his decisions. America on the other hand got more and more annoying and I can't identify with her at all anymore. I'm almost hoping Kris will win.
These books are clearly a fantasy. The female reader is supposed to see themselves as America and feel the rush of being so loved by two people. That did not however work for me. I don't understand what anyone sees in America. It is constantly stated how bland and inadequate she is but still everyone absolutely loves her. Her actions are so ridiculous and over exaggerated. Maxon keeps telling her how much he cares about her and then he looks at someone else once and she immediately assumes the worst. She really doesn't trust in his words.
I will still be reading the next book in the series because as annoyed as I was it was still great entertainment. I am invested in the characters and their relationships even though I don't particularly like them.
The whole book is quite patriotic and I just wish we got to see more of the rebels. They show up every few chapters to destroy stuff and steal books and that's it. For a moment I was actually hoping they would kidnap America and she would then join them. That would have at least brought a bit of excitement into the story. I feel like a lot of plot points have been set up and very under explained. The series has the potential if an amazing finally but I'm worried the author will go in the more simple direction and just leave a lot of stuff unexplained.
I mean Maxon is mostly great and I understand his decisions. America on the other hand got more and more annoying and I can't identify with her at all anymore. I'm almost hoping Kris will win.
These books are clearly a fantasy. The female reader is supposed to see themselves as America and feel the rush of being so loved by two people. That did not however work for me. I don't understand what anyone sees in America. It is constantly stated how bland and inadequate she is but still everyone absolutely loves her. Her actions are so ridiculous and over exaggerated. Maxon keeps telling her how much he cares about her and then he looks at someone else once and she immediately assumes the worst. She really doesn't trust in his words.
I will still be reading the next book in the series because as annoyed as I was it was still great entertainment. I am invested in the characters and their relationships even though I don't particularly like them.
The whole book is quite patriotic and I just wish we got to see more of the rebels. They show up every few chapters to destroy stuff and steal books and that's it. For a moment I was actually hoping they would kidnap America and she would then join them. That would have at least brought a bit of excitement into the story. I feel like a lot of plot points have been set up and very under explained. The series has the potential if an amazing finally but I'm worried the author will go in the more simple direction and just leave a lot of stuff unexplained.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Gun violence, Medical content, Body horror, Infidelity, Child abuse, Domestic abuse, Blood, Injury/Injury detail, Murder, and Violence
Minor: Misogyny and Miscarriage
mellysay's review
lighthearted
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
1.0
!!!DISCLAIMER!!! Look no hate at all, this is just my personal opinions. This is not a bash against the author or anything this book wasn’t my cup of tea. And I read it in Swedish - the translation is not good at all - which may have contributed to what I think of it.
This book… The first book of the selection series was pretty decent. It was easy to read and I didn’t have to focus so much.
This book is way worse in every possible way. It feels like I could’ve written this book when I was ten, I mean the Swedish translation was not iiiittt.
Here’s some things I wrote down while reading:
- Is she mentally ill?
- HOW CAN SHE STILL BE W ASPEN I HATE ASPEN
- why tf is she so stuck up in her attitude
- I hate Maxon, stupid and ugly name
- Is she dumb in her whole head
- SHE IS AN ANTI HERO STUPID BITCH WHY DID IT TAKE HER SO LONG TO REALIZE THAT THE SELECTION IS WRONG AND THAT THE CAST SYSTEM IS BAD AND DUMB????
- aspen go to bed I don’t want you here
- SHE IS FUCKING CHEATING ON MAXON W ASPEN AND WHEN MAXON DOES SOMETHING W OTHER GIRLS SHE CANT FORGIVE HIM AND WONT TALK TO HIM??
- I feel so bad for Maxon
In conclusion it was a pretty bad book that just kept getting worse BUT I’m still going to read the whole series because I want to watch it when it comes out on Netflix. That’s the only thing that’s keeping me hooked.
The characters wasn’t likable at AAALLLLL💀💀 It is not a single person I like in this fucking book I despise everyone and everything. And
what was it with the king in the end? That felt so forced. And also whyyy did it take so long for America to notice that everything was wrong. I thought she would realize something sooner.
Maybe I’m too old for this book, maybe it’s meant for younger kids.
This book… The first book of the selection series was pretty decent. It was easy to read and I didn’t have to focus so much.
This book is way worse in every possible way. It feels like I could’ve written this book when I was ten, I mean the Swedish translation was not iiiittt.
Here’s some things I wrote down while reading:
- Is she mentally ill?
- HOW CAN SHE STILL BE W ASPEN I HATE ASPEN
- why tf is she so stuck up in her attitude
- I hate Maxon, stupid and ugly name
- Is she dumb in her whole head
- SHE IS AN ANTI HERO STUPID BITCH WHY DID IT TAKE HER SO LONG TO REALIZE THAT THE SELECTION IS WRONG AND THAT THE CAST SYSTEM IS BAD AND DUMB????
- aspen go to bed I don’t want you here
- SHE IS FUCKING CHEATING ON MAXON W ASPEN AND WHEN MAXON DOES SOMETHING W OTHER GIRLS SHE CANT FORGIVE HIM AND WONT TALK TO HIM??
- I feel so bad for Maxon
In conclusion it was a pretty bad book that just kept getting worse BUT I’m still going to read the whole series because I want to watch it when it comes out on Netflix. That’s the only thing that’s keeping me hooked.
The characters wasn’t likable at AAALLLLL💀💀 It is not a single person I like in this fucking book I despise everyone and everything. And
Maybe I’m too old for this book, maybe it’s meant for younger kids.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Alcohol, Blood, Death, Misogyny, Sexism, Grief, Injury/Injury detail, Physical abuse, Toxic relationship, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Gaslighting, and War